1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine for cutting curbstones, sidewalks or the like. It is an improvement of the machine disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,871 of Feb. 28, 1984.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the machine of the above patent, a saw-holding carrier is made to roll along a bridge structure on either one of two riding tracks fixed relative to each other: one track being used when it is desired to cut a horizontal slot through a sidewalk or curbstone and the other track, making a fixed predetermined angle with the first track, being used when it is desired to cut a slot which is inclined at the said predetermined angle. When it is desired to move the carrier and it saw from one track to the other, it is necessary first to displace the carrier at the end of the one track, shift it onto a turntable which is then rotated manually by 180.degree. so that the carrier can then be pushed over the other track. The operation is awkward, at best, and inefficient. Furthermore, if the saw has to be operated at an angle other than the aforesaid predetermined angle, a different and separate mechanism has to be used to tilt the complete bridge structure on which the two riding tracks are provided, as aforesaid.
Also, with the machine of the prior U.S. patent, the length and depth of the cuts that may be obtained depend solely on 1--the length of the stationary bridge structure and 2--the length of the carrier on which the saw is slidably mounted; the carrier being also stationary with respect to the bridge structure. If longer and/or deeper cuts have to be provided, the complete machine has to be shifted in the appropriate directions.
Another disadvantage of the prior machine is that if the bridge structure is not properly positioned parallel to the curbstone or sidewalk to be cut, it has to be lifted off the ground and the vehicle repositioned to ensure full parallelism of the bridge structure and curbstone or sidewalk.